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They Died Saving Others From Covid. Will Anybody Rely Them?

They Died Saving Others From Covid. Will Anyone Count Them?

Dr. Mehl, 73, the son of European immigrants who escaped the Holocaust, grew up in Brooklyn and spent his entire 50-year career at New York University, often kibbling with lab technicians, cafeteria staff, and security guards in the hallway. Colleagues named him NYU Mayor

He could also be blatantly emotional. “When he dropped me off at summer camp, he was the only crying father,” said his daughter.

Dr. Flour was a voracious reader – World War II history books, Israel and the United States were his favorites. Whenever he traveled, he woke up every morning to tackle a grueling route of museums, monuments, and restaurants. “He would plan the next vacation before we got home,” said his wife Nancy Greenwald.

At a time when many doctors are retiring, Dr. Flour insisted on working full-time even though he was finally ready to move out on Fridays last March. He laid out a precise plan for that first Friday: wake up, read the newspaper, go back to bed, have breakfast, and then take a nap. But he woke up that day with a backache, and when it got unbearable, Ms. Greenwald decided to call an ambulance. (Four of the patients he treated last week had later tested positive for the virus.)

It was only when the rescue team refused to climb inside that Ms. Greenwald realized that her husband might have contracted the coronavirus. Her searest memory was standing outside New York University later that day when a long line of ambulances with flashing lights waited to take patients to the emergency room. A few days later, she also contracted Covid-19, but recovered quickly.

In one of his final pre-intubation discussions, Dr. Flour from his wife and daughter that he would be awake in 10 days, but not before he made fun of the lousy food. He was on a ventilator for 50 days and died on May 20.

If you are thinking of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). For a list of additional resources, see SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

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Merkel’s occasion fares badly in state elections, third Covid wave hits

Merkel's party fares badly in state elections, third Covid wave hits

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on September 30, 2020 in Berlin.

Michele Tantussi | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party collapsed after defeating two important state elections on Sunday, which put the country’s leadership in even more distress as Germany appears to be facing a “third wave” of coronavirus infections.

The ruling party of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Germany recorded the worst performance since the Second World War in the state elections this weekend and was behind the center-left Greens and the Social Democrats (SPD) in the vote in Baden-Württemberg Rhineland-Palatinate.

The results largely confirmed the political status quo in both federal states, with the incumbent Prime Ministers – Winfried Kretschmann from the Greens in Baden-Württemberg and Malu Dreyer from the SPD in Rhineland-Palatinate – winning the elections. The CDU took second place in both regional votes, followed by the right-wing alternative for Germany, although their support also declined.

Results of the state elections in Germany

CNBC

Paul Ziemiak, Secretary General of the CDU, admitted that the results for the center-right party were disappointing and said: “To be very clear, this is not a good election night for the CDU. We would have different and better results in the State wanted. ” Elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. “

The party’s poor performance can be seen in the preparations for the national elections in September – with four more state elections beforehand – and for the period after Merkel. The Chancellor announced in 2018 that she would not run for a fifth term, creating uncertainty about who would succeed her to take over Europe’s largest economy.

Arne Jungjohann, political scientist and member of the Green Academy of the Heinrich Boell Foundation, told CNBC that the results signaled that the CDU could get into trouble with the national vote in September.

“The CDU party under Angela Merkel built the image of being indispensable, of being the natural governing party, and this image has faded since last night (Sunday evening),” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe”. “We saw in both states … that the parties can actually form governments without the CDU, and that is the signal from last night.”

Push election year

For some parties in Germany, however, the latest results are encouraging, especially for the environmentalists Greens, who also achieved good results in the local elections in Hesse this weekend.

This could herald a change in the political landscape later this year as the Greens are likely to become a coalition partner for the CDU in the next government. Jungjohann told CNBC that the Greens had established themselves in Germany as a “hinge party” that could rule both center-left and center-right. They are already part of coalitions in 11 out of 16 federal states. “They have become a federal political force despite being in opposition at the national level,” he noted.

Robert Habeck, green The party’s co-chairman said the results were “a great start to the super election year for us, and hopefully we’ll be able to take the tailwind of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate with full sails and continue to gain momentum in the US. ” Months to come. “

He added that the results reflected a loss of public confidence in the ruling CDU party due to what he described as “mismanagement” of the government during the pandemic and a corruption scandal that the party had in recent weeks over allegations made by several CDUs Legislators have taken advantage of deals to procure face masks in the early days of the pandemic. The allegations have led to several resignations.

Winds of Change?

After the results of the weekend, the CDU is likely to be looking for the soul, as it is considering who could fill Merkel’s shoes as Chancellor after the elections in September.

Merkel, arguably the strongest and most respected leader in Europe, was generally seen as a safe couple during her leadership and is helping steer the euro zone through the financial crisis. However, she has been criticized in Germany for her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the country in 2015. This move was seen as increasing support for the right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland.

The CDU has not yet selected who it will lead in the federal elections, although the main candidates are Armin Laschet, chairman of the CDU, and Markus Soeder, chairman of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union.

Angela Merkel (CDU, lr), Armin Laschet (CDU), Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Markus Söder (CSU), Prime Minister of Bavaria, talk to the heads of government.

Image Alliance | Image Alliance | Getty Images

A decision is expected in April or May, although the CDU’s defeats this weekend will increase the pressure on party leaders to quickly nominate a candidate, according to Carsten Brzeski, global macro chief at ING.

“With the results on Sunday, the chances of the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder of being the third Bavarian to lead the CDU to national elections have increased significantly,” he said in a note on Monday.

“In our view, Sunday’s state elections … showed clear dissatisfaction with the national government,” he said, noting that “the main message for the September elections is that the electorate is seeking continuity, but it is unclear what continuity exists. “

Coronavirus suffers

Germany was lauded last year for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and for its robust system of tracking and quarantining contacts that helped contain the spread of the virus and modern hospital infrastructure that helped prevent the high number of deaths contributed, seen praised in other European countries, particularly Italy, Spain, Great Britain and France.

However, in recent months, like other countries, it has had to grapple with the spread of more infectious variants of the virus, which in some cases has spiked it, aided by the winter season and a slow roll-out of Covid vaccines across the country .

National surveys show that support for the CDU rose at the beginning of the pandemic and has remained relatively high over the past 12 months. Whether this continues, however, could be determined by the government’s handling of a third wave of infections, just as citizens are desperate to get their lives back to normal. On Friday, the head of the German health department warned that a third wave had already started.

The political scientist Jungjohann noted that support for the CDU is now waning. “Most people are now saying that the vaccination rollout is not going well and now we’ve seen the corruption scandal unfold and it’s still going on. It is still unclear who will try to follow Angela Merkel,” he said . “It looks like a moment of crisis (against this backdrop) towards the elections.”

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The Pandemic as a Wake-Up Name for Private Well being

The Pandemic as a Wake-Up Call for Personal Health

As Mr Vilsack said, “It is time to change the food system in this country faster.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, when most businesses and entertainment venues had to close, toilet paper wasn’t the only commodity removed from market shelves. The country suddenly faced a flour and yeast shortage when millions of Americans “stuck” at home got into a baking frenzy. While I understood their need to relieve stress, feel productive, and perhaps help others who are less able or so inclined, bread, muffins, and cookies weren’t the healthiest items to emerge from pandemic kitchens.

When high calorie foods and snacks are at home, they can be difficult to resist when there is little else to trigger the release of enjoyable brain chemicals. Unsurprisingly, smoking rates rose during the pandemic, adding another risk to Covid vulnerability.

And there was an alcoholic drink run. National alcohol sales during a week in March 2020 were 54 percent higher than in the comparable week of the previous year. The Harris poll confirmed that almost one in four adults drank more alcohol than usual to cope with pandemic-related stress. Not only is alcohol a source of nutritionally empty calories, its wanton consumption can lead to reckless behavior that further increases susceptibility to Covid.

Long before the pandemic spiked calorie consumption, Americans were eating significantly more calories each day than they thought, in large part due to the immediate availability of ultra-processed foods, especially those that tease, “You can’t only eat one. ”(Example: Corn on the cob is unprocessed, canned corn is only minimally processed, but Doritos are ultra-processed).

In a brief but carefully crafted diet study, Kevin D. Hall and colleagues from the National Institutes of Health secretly gave 20 adults diets high in ultra-processed foods or unprocessed foods that were high in calories, sugar, fat, sodium, and fiber Dietary fiber was matched to protein content. The unsuspecting participants, told to eat as much as they wanted, were consuming 500 more calories a day on the ultra-processed diet.

If you’ve read my column for years, you already know that I’m not a fanatic when it comes to food. I have a lot of containers of ice in my freezer; Cookies, crackers, and even french fries in my closet; and I enjoy a burger every now and then. But my daily diet is mostly based on vegetables, with fish, beans, and non-fat milk being my main sources of protein. My consumption of snacks and ice cream is portioned and, in addition to daily exercise, has enabled me to stay weight stable despite years of pandemic stress and occasional despair.

Marion Nestle, professor emeritus of nutrition, food research and public health at New York University, says, “This is not rocket science.” She does not preach withdrawal, only moderation (except maybe a total ban on soda). “We need a national obesity prevention policy,” she said, “a national campaign to help all Americans get healthier.”

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Covid variant present in U.Ok. 64% extra lethal than earlier strains: Examine

Covid variant found in U.K. 64% more deadly than earlier strains: Study

A patient is placed in an ambulance outside the Royal London Hospital in London during England’s third national lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Picture date: Wednesday February 17, 2021.

Ian West | PA Pictures | Getty Images

The highly contagious variant of the coronavirus, first identified in the UK, is linked to a 64% higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than previous strains, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Bristol analyzed data from more than 100,000 patients in the UK between October 1 and January 28. They compared the death rates of people infected with B.1.1.7, the variant first found in the UK, and those infected with other previously circulating strains.

The researchers, who released their results on Wednesday, said people infected with B.1.1.7 were between 32% and 104% more likely to die. This corresponds to a central estimate of 64%. The “absolute risk of death in this largely unvaccinated population remains low”.

“Death from COVID-19 is still a rare occurrence in the community, but variant B.1.1.7 increases the risk. Coupled with its ability to spread quickly, B.1.1.7 is a threat that should be taken seriously. “Robert Challen, the lead author of the study in Exeter, said in a press release.

The researchers said B.1.1.7 resulted in 227 deaths in a sample of 54,906 patients. This compares to 141 deaths in roughly the same number of patients infected with other strains.

They said with the variant, which has already been discovered in more than 50 countries around the world, “the analysis provides vital information for governments and health agencies to help prevent its spread.”

The UK identified B.1.1.7 in autumn 2020, which appears to be spreading more easily and faster than other strains. Since then, it has spread to other parts of the world, including the US, which identified 3,283 cases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Tuesday. U.S. health officials say they are working to identify more cases.

The new study comes roughly two months after a CDC study warned that B.1.1.7 could become the dominant strain in the United States. CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told JAMA on Feb. 17 that variant B.1.1.7 is considered to be about 50% more transmissible and early data suggests it could be up to 50% more virulent or deadly.

New variants are particularly a problem for public health officials as they could become more resistant to antibody treatments and vaccines. Senior health officials, including the White House Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anthony Fauci, urge Americans to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The virus cannot mutate if it cannot infect hosts and cannot multiply.

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Fauci Cautions Towards Dropping Restrictions

Fauci Cautions Against Dropping Restrictions

In contrast, about 23 percent of black Americans said they would not get the vaccine; Like 23 percent of white Americans and 20 percent of Hispanic Americans, the poll found.

In the CBS “Face the Nation” program, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, who heads a new federal health justice task force, said the survey results were “great news”.

“You are seeing confidence in vaccines growing in all groups across the country,” said Dr. Nunez-Smith. “It’s very promising.”

Even so, polarized attitudes consistent with political affiliation have hardened: About 71 percent of Democrats said they had been vaccinated or had been shot, while only 47 percent of Republicans said the same. A third of Republicans said they would say no to the vaccine, compared to just 10 percent of Democrats.

Dr. Fauci said he was confused and concerned about the partisan trend. “It makes absolutely no sense,” he said. “We have to separate political belief from what is common sense.

On “Fox News Sunday”, Dr. Fauci asked about a public service message on vaccination attended by other former presidents but not Donald J. Trump. He was then asked whether Mr Trump, who had been tacitly vaccinated in January before leaving, should publicly endorse the vaccination.

“I think it would make all the difference in the world,” said Dr. Fauci, adding, “He’s a very popular person among Republicans. If he came out and said go and get the vaccine, it’s really important to your health, the health of your family, and the health of the country. It seems absolutely inevitable that the vast majority of the people who are his close followers are listening to him. “

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando last month, Trump said, “Everyone should get your shot,” but that message has been largely overlooked by the former president’s distinctive focus on divisive political affairs.

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EU says AstraZeneca not doing sufficient to satisfy vaccine supply goal

EU says AstraZeneca not doing enough to meet vaccine delivery target

A healthcare professional will prepare a dose of the Oxford / AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the vaccine center at the Brighton Center in Brighton, southern England on January 26, 2021.

Ben Stensall | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON – The European Union has asked AstraZeneca to do more to meet its contract with the bloc as concerns grow that the pharmaceutical company will again miss delivery targets.

It is not the first time that the EU and the drug giant have been at odds with each other. AstraZeneca initially offered to sell around 100 million Doses of his Covid-19 burst before the end of March. However, the company had to renegotiate that amount to just 40 million due to manufacturing issues.

The European Commission, the body that negotiates vaccination contracts on behalf of the 27 member states, is now concerned that this reduced amount will not be respected either.

“AstraZeneca vaccine supply: I see efforts but not ‘best efforts’. This is not yet good enough for AstraZeneca to meet its Q1 commitments,” said Thierry Breton, Internal Market Officer, Thursday evening on Twitter .

Data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control shows that 11.76 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been delivered as of Thursday.

“It is time for AstraZeneca’s board of directors to take on their fiduciary responsibility and do everything possible now to meet AZ’s commitments,” said Breton.

AstraZeneca wasn’t immediately available for comment when CNBC reached out on Friday.

The firm’s CEO, Pascal Soriot, told European lawmakers last month that the reason for the delays was the low return on EU plants. He also said his company was working around the clock to increase production and that it only had six months to prepare the sting, compared to other previous work that took years to develop a new vaccine.

EU “a watchful eye”

At a press conference last month, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said the EU was “closely monitoring” AstraZeneca’s deliveries.

The supply problem has caused Italy to stop shipping AstraZeneca vaccines destined for Australia last week.

European countries can ban the export of Covid-19 vaccines if a pharmaceutical company fails to perform its contract and the vaccines are supposed to go to a country that is not classified as vulnerable. Low- and middle-income countries and neighboring countries are exempt from these restrictions.

Realizing that there may be further problems with AstraZeneca’s deliveries could lead Member States to stop further deliveries of this vaccine.

The introduction of vaccination is fundamental to the region’s economic recovery, and new problems with bumps could ruin the exit from the crisis.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Thursday: “The ongoing vaccination campaigns and the gradual easing of containment measures – apart from other adverse developments related to the pandemic – support expectations of a significant recovery in economic activity over the course of 2021.” “

The EU vaccination program has so far been criticized several times. Some countries have complained that regulators are too slow to approve the bumps compared to other parts of the world. There were production and delivery problems. Bureaucracy at the national level has also hampered the process.

The EU has committed to vaccinating 70% of the adult population before the end of summer.

Earlier this week, the commission agreed with Pfizer and BioNTech to receive 4 million additional doses of their vaccine over the next two weeks.

On Thursday, the block also approved its fourth Covid-19 vaccine with the Johnson & Johnson candidate.

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A New Research Suggests College students Can Be Simply Three Toes Aside Safely

A New Study Suggests Students Can Be Just 3 Feet Apart Safely

School closings have been a contentious issue since the pandemic broke out, and a new study has sparked debate over the 6-foot rule of social distancing and whether it can be relaxed in the classroom, which would make it easier for children to get to school .

The new study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases last week, suggests that public schools may be safe to reopen for personal instruction as long as children are three feet apart and other mitigation measures such as carrying Masks are respected.

Jill Biden and members of her husband’s administration embarked on a concerted campaign for the safe reopening of schools as parents and educators grew increasingly frustrated with recurring politics from district to district.

When asked about Jake Tapper’s new report on CNN’s State of the Union program on Sunday, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, admits that the study appears to be three feet long enough to contain transmission of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not yet issued official guidelines on shortening the recommended six-foot rule, although Dr. Fauci said the agency is investigating the data.

“What the CDC wants to do is collect data, and when data shows you are three feet tall, they will act accordingly,” said Dr. Fauci. He added that the agency’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, was informed about the new research results and that the CDC is also carrying out its own studies. “I don’t want to be ahead of the official guidelines,” he said.

Updated

March 14, 2021, 6:19 p.m. ET

While the CDC’s advice remains at six feet of social distancing between students, the World Health Organization has recommended one meter or 3.3 feet of distancing, and the study found the latter was enough to limit school-related cases. The CDC recommendations call for six feet of social distancing in schools in counties with high Covid transmission rates. CDC officials could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Some experts have suggested that toning down on social distancing recommendations could be an important step in getting kids back into the classroom. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University School of Public Health, suggested in a tweet that the CDC guidelines may change and that is “good. Because 6 feet doesn’t protect teachers. But it keeps kids out of school. “

“Do you want to open schools safely? Masks. Ventilation. Testing. Vaccination of teachers / staff. That’s the list, ”tweeted Dr. Yeh.

The new study, published March 10, compared the incidence rates of coronavirus cases among students and staff in Massachusetts school districts that required at least two meters of separation with those that required only three meters of separation, and found no statistically significant differences in infection rates among employees or students.

Class disturbed

Updated March 9, 2021

The latest on how the pandemic is changing education.

The researchers, who controlled community rates of coronavirus in their analysis, concluded that guidelines for less physical distancing in schools can be safely applied as long as other measures, such as universal masking, are in place.

The study’s authors looked at the incidence of coronavirus infections among staff and students in approximately 242 school districts in Massachusetts with varying in-person tuition from September 24 to January 27, 2021.

Children are less likely to need to be hospitalized when infected with the coronavirus, and children under the age of 10 are less likely to be infected than teenagers. The actual incidence of infections may not be known, however, as children and adolescents are far less likely to develop serious illnesses than adults and are less likely to be tested.

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New York vaccine czar referred to as county executives to find out Cuomo help: report

New York vaccine czar called county executives to determine Cuomo support: report

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo listens to speakers at a vaccination site in New York on March 8, 2021.

SETH LITTLE | AFP | Getty Images

Larry Schwartz, director of New York vaccine rollout and longtime advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo, has called some district officials over the past few weeks to rally their support for the governor while he grapples with an ongoing sexual harassment investigation, the reported Washington Post on Sunday, citing several officials.

A district chief, speaking on condition of anonymity fearing retaliation by the Cuomo administration, told the Post that it filed a notice on Friday with the Public Integrity Department of the Attorney General’s office of a possible ethics violation by Cuomo’s office would have.

Schwartz, a former top advisor to the governor who came back as an unpaid advisor to direct the state’s vaccine distribution, is in frequent contact with local officials to discuss vaccine planning and distribution.

However, his appeals to officials over the past few weeks regarding their loyalty to the governor raised concerns that the governor’s political situation and response to it could affect the state’s vaccination operation or result in preferential vaccination decisions.

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Clergy Preach Religion within the Covid Vaccine to Doubters

Clergy Preach Faith in the Covid Vaccine to Doubters

Black churches have formed national networks to fight pandemics with a sense of purpose that reflects their acceptance of civil rights issues. A working group in Florida led by black churches has linked guns to historically black colleges and universities and offered sanctuaries as vaccination sites. The Black Coalition Against Covid-19 issued guidelines for faith leaders with tips on pandemic and vaccination.

The Rev. Matthew L. Watley of the AME Church of the Kingdom Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md., Who shares vaccine information with communities across the country, bluntly confronts the black community’s deep suspicion of vaccines. He tells skeptics, “The ultimate conspiracy could be simply, ‘Wait until there’s a global pandemic that disproportionately affects African Americans and then convince them not to take the only medical intervention that has been shown to save lives.'”

At Shorter, Rev. Dr. Timothy Tyler spoke about vaccinations on his online services, participated in panels and posted his recordings on Facebook. Now, as UCHealth, the University of Colorado-affiliated health care system, sends the message that it will deliver 500 doses to Shorter on a Sunday, Church members are pressing the phones, persuading senior members, and providing transportation.

One last Sunday, after a tough year outside of church, Dr. Love back in Shorter to get vaccinated. She greeted Pew Mates, whom she had not seen in a long time. She knelt in front of the sanctuary’s altar and wept.

“I prayed for those who did not have the opportunity that I was blessed with and for a healing for our nation,” she said.

Then she went to the Church’s Omar D. Blair Fellowship Hall, named after a Tuskegee Airman who campaigned for civil rights. Here she had led scouting activities. Where the Church celebrated her husband after he died.

Now a new milestone.

She sat at a table to receive the shot, hoping it would free her from the pandemic and restore her to the community life she cherished.

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5 issues to know earlier than the inventory market opens March 12, 2021

5 things to know before the stock market opens March 12, 2021

Here are the top news, trends, and analysis investors need to get their trading day started:

1. The Nasdaq is likely to fall as technology stocks collapse on rising bond yields

A man walks in front of the Nasdaq building in Times Square on March 10, 2021 in New York.

John Smith | Corbis News | Getty Images

Nasdaq futures fell 200 points, or 1.5%, on Friday, the day after the tech-heavy index rose 329 points, or 2.5%, on gains like Apple, Facebook and Google’s parenting alphabet. As bond yields rose again on Friday, technology stocks resumed their recent decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average should rise and the S&P 500 should fall after both benchmarks closed at record highs on Thursday as expectations of an economic rebound from the new $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus bailout set sentiment on Wall Street.

2. The yield on 10-year government bonds is recovering to an annual high

The stock market, tech names in particular, has been taken hostage by the bond market. Recently, when yields are rising, technology stocks are falling, and when yields are falling, technology stocks are rising. The yield on 10-year government bonds, which is moving in the opposite direction to the price, rose to around 1.6% on Friday, hitting recent one-year highs again. The 10-year yield hit as high as 1.62% earlier this month before pulling back. Higher interest rates hurt the value of growth companies’ future earnings and compress their stock valuations. Tame consumer inflation capped bond yields on Thursday. The government reported Friday that February producer prices rose 0.5%, in line with expectations.

3. Biden instructs states to qualify all adults for Covid vaccines by May 1st

President Joe Biden gestures as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on March 11, 2021, on the anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Almond Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

President Joe Biden is instructing states to qualify all adults for the coronavirus vaccines by May 1. In his first prime-time address on Thursday, he also said that hopefully Americans should gather in small groups to celebrate July Fourth. Biden’s speech came exactly one year after the pandemic was declared and one year after ex-President Donald Trump’s speech announcing temporary travel bans from Europe to the United States. At the time, Trump downplayed the coronavirus. In contrast, on Thursday evening, Biden emphasized that Covid is still a serious threat. He spoke hours after the bill was signed on the recently passed US $ 1.9 trillion aid bill.

4. Novavax’s vaccine is 96% effective against the original coronavirus

A woman holds a small bottle that says “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” and a medical syringe in front of the Novavax logo displayed in this illustration, taken on October 30, 2020.

Given Ruvic | Reuters

Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine was 96% effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of the coronavirus. There were no cases of serious illness or death among those who received the two-shot vaccine. It was also about 86% effective in protecting against the more contagious variant of the virus, which was first discovered in the UK. However, in a separate, smaller study in South Africa that resulted in another newer, contagious strain, the vaccine was only about 55% effective.

5. Netflix is ​​testing a crackdown on password sharing

Detail of a man’s hand scrolling through Netflix on an Apple iPad Pro, taken on March 6, 2020.

Phil Barker | Future Publishing | Getty Images

Netflix, which has never had much to do with password sharing, is testing a new policy that will require some users to sign up for a separate account when they’re not watching with the subscriber. “This test is designed to ensure that people using Netflix accounts are eligible,” the company said in a statement, while it found that “hundreds” of tests are conducted on selected customers each year. According to research firm Magid, around 33% of all Netflix users share their password with at least one other person.

– Reuters contributed to this report. Get the latest information on the pandemic on CNBC’s coronavirus blog.